The secret of the Commedia dell'Arte lies in the paradox between Mask and Improvisation, Fixed Character and Variable Text, Conservation and Innovation. Therefore along the centuries it has been exalted or vilified: considered as reactionary during the French revolution and praised by the romantics. In the 20th century Copeau, Meierhold, Mnouchkine and Fo faced this ambivalence. Is that which is today called commedia dell'arte "reactionary" or "revolutionary"? "Popular" or "populist"?
Commedia dell'arte; mask; improvisation